More than a quarter (28%) listed inclusion in drinks rounds as a point of contention.

A quarter (23%) of office workers reported falling out over running out of milk, coffee and tea bags. Lost or stolen food and drink also caused frustration for 17% of office workers.

When faced with these problems, 15% have directly confronted a colleague, while a third (35%) have sent a passive aggressive email or left a note.

Mark Kelly, marketing manager at AppliancesDirect.co.uk comments: “The office is a place for productivity, although the research shows that things can boil over especially when it comes to kitchen etiquette. An harmonious workplace can be disrupted by small stresses, with the data showing those in typically more pressured industries and environments have a higher level of frustration, and lower patience threshold.”

Younger members of staff, those aged 18-24, were most likely to confront a colleague and resolve their issues.

Those working in financial services (93%) reported the highest level of office upsets, followed by information and communications (89%).

Healthcare (85%), real estate (84%) and education (83%) industries rounded off the top five most likely to see a workplace dispute.